challenging to detect

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "challenging to detect" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when describing something that is difficult to identify or notice, often in contexts related to problems, issues, or phenomena. Example: "The malware was cleverly disguised, making it particularly challenging to detect by standard security software."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It is highly challenging to detect hydrazine present in the tobacco selectively.

Electrochimica Acta

Due to the potential low resolution and noise, it is challenging to detect such features.

Computer-Aided Design

It is crucial, yet challenging, to detect the actual bridge IL by measurement.

Engineering Structures

The magnitude of these effects varied widely, from a small, slow process that would be challenging to detect, to a large, rapid response that could be an environmental catastrophe.

Journal of Hydrology

Despite this potential, due to the highly variable effect on the single target transcripts and the many factors involved in post-transcriptional gene regulation in addition to miRNA, the repressive signal on their target genes remains challenging to detect in clinical datasets.

Nature

We specifically included genetic lesions and tumor specimens that are challenging to detect or interpret by NGS such as FLT3-ITD, KIAA1549-BRAF fusion, variants from high-GC exons21, complex structural rearrangements, and samples with low tumor purity, intra-tumor heterogeneity, and/or tumor-in-normal contamination (Supplementary Data 2, 3).

Nature

For densely forested areas, except for fault creeps, it remains challenging to detect long-wavelength interseismic deformation, although there have been some successful reports (e.g., Grandin et al. 2012; Huang et al. 2016).

Earth, Planets and Space

Methane emissions in midstream and downstream operations are more difficult to measure where the end uses are dispersed; for example, methane leaks from individual sources in urban centers may be challenging to detect.

Energy Transitions

To the best of our knowledge, this asymmetry is not seen in tsunami observations, though it might be challenging to detect if the initial (v_0 x)) is rather small and bathymetric effects complicate the tsunami waveform.

Earth, Planets and Space

Because many of the transuranic elements are highly unstable and decay quickly, they are challenging to detect and characterize when produced.

Wikipedia

Anatomical defects such as vascular shunts could also account for such localized pathology, and could also have been challenging to detect by our methods.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "challenging to detect", specify the reason for the difficulty, such as low concentration, subtle signs, or complex environments, to provide context and clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "challenging to detect" without providing context. Instead of saying "The problem is challenging to detect", specify what makes it difficult, such as "The problem is challenging to detect due to its subtle symptoms and intermittent nature".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "challenging to detect" functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun or pronoun to describe something that is difficult to identify or notice. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is used to describe difficulties in identifying issues or phenomena.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

85%

News & Media

7%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Academia

2%

Wiki

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "challenging to detect" is a common and grammatically sound phrase used to describe something difficult to identify or notice. As Ludwig AI confirms, it appears frequently in scientific and technical contexts, as well as news and general explanations. To enhance clarity, specify the reasons for the difficulty. Remember to avoid overgeneralization by providing sufficient context. Consider alternatives like "difficult to identify" or "hard to notice" depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

difficult to identify

Emphasizes the difficulty in recognizing or establishing what something is.

hard to notice

Focuses on the difficulty in observing or becoming aware of something.

not easy to find

Highlights the problem of locating something

tough to discern

Emphasizes the difficulty in perceiving or recognizing something clearly.

complicated to pinpoint

Highlights the complexity in precisely identifying or locating something.

problematic to uncover

Emphasizes the troublesome nature of revealing or discovering something.

elusive to identify

Highlights the evasive nature of the target being identified.

obscure to discern

Emphasizes the vague or unclear nature making discernment difficult.

taxing to recognize

Focuses on the demanding effort required for recognition.

demanding to perceive

Highlights the high level of skill or effort needed for perception.

FAQs

How can I use "challenging to detect" in a sentence?

You can use "challenging to detect" to describe something that is difficult to identify or notice. For example, "The early signs of the disease are "challenging to detect"".

What are some alternatives to "challenging to detect"?

Alternatives include "difficult to identify", "hard to notice", or "not easy to find", depending on the context.

Is it better to say "difficult to detect" or "challenging to detect"?

"Difficult to detect" and "challenging to detect" are largely interchangeable. "Challenging" may imply a higher degree of difficulty, but the choice often depends on stylistic preference.

What makes something "challenging to detect"?

Factors contributing to something being "challenging to detect" can include low frequency, subtle characteristics, complex environments, or limitations in available detection methods.